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Martyrs Mirror

SUMMARY OF THE MARTYRS IN THE NINTH CENTURY

The beginning is a repetition of the fourth proposition of the discourse
of Haimo (for the year A. D. 814) respecting baptism by the shedding of
blood, with which the Lord and all the holy martyrs were baptized.

Of the cruelties instituted by the Danish tyrant, Regnerus (A. D. 818)
against the Christian believers; which matter is further explained in a
note.

In the margin, mention is made that A. D. 826, the Saracens invaded the
islands of the Romans, and, consequently, Creta; where Cyril, Bishop of
the church at Gortina was slain.

The tyranny instituted by the King of Bulgaria against the Christians,
about the year 842, is shown and confirmed by testimonies.

Great persecution of the believers, caused by the mutual contentions of
the kings in France, noted also for A. D. 842.

Very grievous and lamentable persecution of Christian believers at
Cordova, in Spain, A. D. 850, through the wickedness of the Saracens. It
is shown that said persecution had commenced long before A. D. 850, but
that at this time it raged the most violently.

The distressing martyrdom of John, a tradesman at Cordova, A. D. 850.
Note respecting the faith of said martyr.

Nunilo and Aloida, sisters and Christian maidens, put to death with the
sword, for the name of the Lord, in the city of Osca, about A. D. 851.

Marginal note, for the year 852, that then the zeal of some to die as
martyrs, was so great that multitudes of them confessed Christ, and ran
after martyrdom; among whom Emilas and Hieremias are mentioned, who were
beheaded for said reason however, every one is left to judge for
himself.

Aurea, a God-fearing maiden, after many severe trials, beheaded at
Cordova, for the testimony of Jesus Christ, A. D. 856.

Page 241

After adding a note; we prepare to flee from the Mohammedan
persecutions, and turn to England and Italy, where more and clearer
light, has arisen.

Marginal note of Hincmar, Bishop of Laudun, that, through the hatred of
the Bishop of Rheims, and by a certain council held at Dusiacum about A.
D. 866, he was condemned and finally sent into banishment.

Johannes Erigena, a Scotchman, and hence, called Scotus, through the
instigation of some monks, put to death by his scholars, for the
confession of the evangelical truth, at Meldum, in England, A. D. 884.

Observations about the time of this history, as well as some remarks
upon the history itself, according to the accounts of .Carion, P.
Melancthon, C. Peucer, Sebastian Franck of Worth, P. J. Twisck, Caesar
Baronius, and A. Mellinus. Finally, his belief is compared with that of
Berengarius, of whom we shall speak in the eleventh century.
Conclusion.]

About the year A. D.814.-In
our account of Holy Baptism for the year 814, we made mention of Haimo,
a celebrated teacher of that day, as well as of some salutary and good
.testimonies, which he left respecting the baptism of believers. Writing
on Rom. 6, he treats of four different kinds of baptism, the fourth or
last of which he callsbaptism
by the sheddingofblood,indicating
withal, what he means thereby, as well as what persons were baptized in
this manner. The fourth (baptism), he says,"is by the shedding of blood;
with which the Lord Himself and all holy martyrs were baptized." B.H.,
2d part, page 540, num. 2,fromCentur.
Magd. IX., cap. 4,fol.75.

Someone perhaps may think that in this passage by Haimo, nothing is said
of a present persecution or martyrdom, but that it is simply shown that
the shedding of the blood of the martyrs can, in some measure, be called
a baptism, with which the Lord Himself and many of His followers,
namely, all the holy martyrs, had, so to speak, been baptized. To this
we will offer no objection, for it is well remarked; nevertheless, it
will throw light upon the object we have in view, namely, to show the
martyrdom of this time. Hence, in order to reach this end, we say: It
would not have been necessary then only to recount to the hearers the
shedding of the blood of the martyrs, as well as that in a certain way
this may be called a baptism, if at that time the exigency of martyrdom
or the shedding of blood for the Lord's sake had not existed, or, at
least, if there had been no danger of being persecuted or martyred.

Certainly, all good teachers regard the opportuneness of the times, the
condition of persons, and other circumstances, in the matter of
teaching, lest the salutary and good words of God, by being spoken at
the wrong time, or on an unsuitable occasion, should prove void,
powerless, and vain to those who hear it. Thus we must believe that also
said teacher (Haimo) proceeded, and that, consequently, when he called
the shedding of the blood of the martyrs a baptism, and adduced this for
the purpose of instructing his brethren, there must have been an
exigency of martyrdom, either at the time, or near at hand; otherwise
the assertion and exposition of this excellent teacher would not have
been adduced properly, or at the right time and on the proper occasion.

We shall, therefore, ascertain from other authors the condition of that
time, and whether then or shortly after, any persecution, bloodshedding
or martyrdom arose against the Christian believers, to which the
afore-mentioned teacher might have had reference in his instruction
touching said matter.

TOUCHING THE CRUELTIES INSTITUTED BY THE DANISH TYRANT REGNERUS AGAINST
THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS, ABOUT A. D. 818

Four years after the admonition of the aforenamed teacher, namely, A. D.
818, mention is made of a certain Danish tyrant, called Regnerus, the
sixty-second king of Denmark; who, as regards military affairs, was
greatly praised by the champions of war, but, with regard to his cruelty
and tyranny towards the Christian believers, deserves to be utterly
contemned, yea, counted a tyrant and a blood-thirsty monster.

Concerning this;- P. J. Twisck (from various other writers) has left the
following as a summary of his wickedness, and how he was punished for
it, as a warning to all tyrants."King Regnerus was a prodigy in matters
of war, but a great enemy and persecutor of the Christians. He was
conquered by Hella, king of the Britons, and cast into a pool of snakes,
to be killed in this manner."Chron.
9th book, page280.

NOTE.-We have not been able to learn in particular the manner in which
said tyrant manifested his enmity against the Christians, or how he
persecuted them; nor the countries and places in which those
persecutions occurred; nor the names of the persons who then suffered;
nor how long these persecutions and martyrdoms lasted; hence we cannot
more fully speak of these things.

In the meantime, it is our firm conviction, that not a few upright
professors of Jesus Christ laid down their lives for the apprehended and
accepted truth of the holy Gospel, and were offered up as steadfast
martyrs for their love to their Saviour, and for the working out of
their own salvation. But for the want of their particular confessions
and names, we are constrained to break off, as we have had to do in
several places in preceding centuries; which things can be compared with
the account we have given here; which we commit to the intelligent and
impartial reader.

About A. D. 826, the Saracens invaded the islands of the Romans, and
took possession of Crete

Page 242

(where Paul had ordained his beloved spirtual son Titus bishop and
shepherd of the church), and put to death, Cyril, the bishop of the
church of Gortina, for confessing Christ. Compare A.Mell.,
2d book, fol. 306, col. 2,with
Zonar., Torn.3, in
Michaele Balbo Cedren.

TOUCHING THE TYRANNY INSTITUTED BY THE KING OF BULGARIA AGAINST THE
CHRISTIANS, ABOUT A. D.842

When the afore-mentioned tyrant Regnerus, who commenced to reign about
A. D.818,had
died, in the year832,having
been cast among the snakes, and the Christian believers in the
devastated regions, had obtained, it seems, some freedom in the matter,
of living according to their faith, there arose against them, ten years
afterwards, namely, A. D.842,another
miscreant, no better, to all appearance, than the former, though for a
time he had borne the name of a Christian, who instituted great tyranny
against them.

The last-mentioned author, proceeding to the year842,speaks
in his account concerning this matter as follows, "When this king of the
Bulgarians had received the kingdom from his father, who wished to
retire into privacy, he apostatized from the (Roman) Christian faith to
heathen idolatry, and re-established the latter, with much tyranny
against the Christians.Chron., 9th book, page 287, col. 1,fromHist.
4ndra, fol. 182. Leon., lib. 4,fol.176.Compare
this with the above note.

GREAT PERSECUTION OF THE BELIEVERS, CAUSED BY THE MUTUAL CONTENTIONS OF
THE KINGS IN FRANCE, IN SAID YEAR842

In the same year in which the above-mentioned Bulgarian tyrant reigned
and instituted so much wickedness against the Christian believers,
namely, A. D.842,the
kings of the Franks, through their wars, though they were brothers, it
appears, grievously persecuted and martyred the poor believers,
everywhere in the French territories; so that said persecution and
martyrdom is compared and regarded as equal to the persecutions
instituted in earlier times by the heathen emperors. Of this, the
following is found in the last-mentioned chronicle, and in the same
place, "The fraternal wars between the kings of the Franks, were the
cause of much calamity and distress to the poor believers throughout
France, so that they might well be compared to the cruel persecutions
which in former times occurred under the heathen princes."

Concerning this, Remigius, bishop of Auxerre, who lived about this time,
writes thus (on Ps.69),
"There are different times of persecution; one, when the heathen fall
unmercifully upon the Christians; the other, when the evil purpose of
the (false) Christians persecutes the believers, which time still
continues in the church; for, though the heathen kings, and others, are
dead, still the devil is not dead, who secretly vents his cruelty, by
secret instruments, that is, through bad Christians.Chron.,
9th book, page 287, col 1,fromLeonhard,
lib. 4, histor. Georg., lib. 4, fol. 305.

GRIEVOUS AND LAMENTABLE PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS, BY THE SARACENS,
AT CORDOVA IN SPAIN, ABOUT A. D.850

About A. D.850,the
Saracens, who were adherents to the Mohammedan religion, invaded various
islands of the Mediterranean Sea, and also the kingdom of Spain, in
which they penetrated so far that their king had his court in the city
of Cordova.

In the meantime, in order to treat the inhabitants of said country
kindly as it were, and thus draw them gradually over to the Mohammedan
religion, the Christians were allowed to remain, on condition that they
would not gainsay, revile, or refute their false prophet Mohammed and
his laws; also that they should no longer go into their churches, but
pay their taxes, and live quietly under their jurisdiction.

The Christians, thus limited, and obeying their conscience by calling
evil, evil, and good, good, were easily apprehended by the Saracens, and
accused of capital crime; but, what is most to be deplored, these
accusations proceeded sometimes from apostate, so-called Christians,
yea, from such as bore the name of bishops (apparently political
bishops, or such as were designated ordinaries by the Roman church),
who, loving the favor of the Saracens more than the favor of God,
declared that those who were put to death by them, because they obeyed
their conscience, were no martyrs and could not be recognized as such;
and what is yet more, they maintained this in a public council.

The persecutors, as can easily be judged, greatly encouraged by this,
lamentably persecuted, martyred, and put to death many innocent
Christians. Oh, deadly piercings of antichrist, through the
instrumentality of his bishops!

It is true, no severe tortures were inflicted upon the Christians who
were martyred in this persecution, but for the most part they were
simply beheaded; however, after their death their bodies were shamefully
treated; first they were suspended for a time on gallows, then burned,
and their ashes strewed in the rivers; or they were left unburied, to be
torn to pieces by dogs and birds.

It is stated that this persecution commenced long before A. D. 850, but
that at this time it was at the height of its fury, for which reason, it
seems, the ancient writers have ascribed it to this year. CompareMemor.
Sanctor, lib. 1. Apal. Mart. and Doc. Mart. Eulog., lib. 2, cap. 8, 9,andvita
E-ulogii,withA.
Mell., 2d book, fol. 306, col. 2, 3; also, Chron. van den Ondergang, 9th
book, page 290,fromHist.
Wenc., fol. 443. Chron. Nicoll. Gill., fol.

What has been said of this persecution, is to be further explained by
the remarks made in the first note. In the meantime, we will investigate
what martyrs mentioned by name, suffered during said persecution for the
testimony of Jesus Christ, and the confession of the holy Gospel.

JOHN, A TRADESMAN AT CORDOVA, SEVERELY SCOURGED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF
JESUS CHRIST, SET REVERSELY UPON AN ASS, MOCKED, AND MISERABLY
TORMENTED, A. D. 850

A. D. 850, in the city of Cordova, John, an unlearned, but pious man,
who kept a few things for sale, was accused to the judge, by false
witnesses, for the sake of Jesus Christ, of deriding and reviling
Mohammed. But as the witnesses in this case were not found reliable
enough in their accusations, to condemn him to death, this faithful
servant of God was sentenced to be severely scourged, and constrained to
deny Christ. But this pious profes sor of Christ cried aloud: That he
would not forsake the Christian religion unto death, and declared that
he was innocent of the false accusations which had been brought against
him.

This firmness so enraged the judge against John, that he had him
scourged with more than five hundred stripes, causing the executioners
to continue beating him, till he, under their hands, fell to the ground
apparently dead. But as he still lived and breathed after this torture,
they set him backwards on an ass, and led him through the whole city,
from street to street, with a crier, who cried, "Thus shall it be done
with the revilers of our prophet, and with the ridiculers of our
worship."

This done they fettered him with heavy chains, and put hirri in prison;
but as to how he finally died, we have not been able to discover in the
accounts of the ancients; this much, however, is certain, that he
contended for the name of Christ even unto blood. Compare Eulog.Memorial.
Sanctor., lib. 1,with
the account ofAbr.
Mellinus, Zd book, fol. 307,Col.
1; 2.

NOTE.-From a want of fuller records by the ancient writers, we have not
been able to obtain further information regarding the cause of the mar-

Page244

tyrdom of the above-mentioned John, than that being zealous of the truth
of God and his Saviour, he suffered principally for the second article
of our general Christian faith, in which we confess that we believe in
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; which justly, and according
to the rule of God's Word, can be called a good profession, I Tim. 6:12.

Moreover, we have found nothing derogatory to his faith, of papal
superstition or the like, in other points; notwithstanding in the city
of Cordova, where he suffered, there were also people, who, it appears,
were not free from the Roman pollutions; of which history has made
mention. Hence, since nothing of this kind can be laid to his charge, we
are bound, according to the nature of love, to judge the best both of
his person and the other points of his faith, and this not only with
regard to him, but also to others, who suffered for the same reason, and
of whom the ancients, in regard to this matter, have given like
testimony.

NUNILO AND ALOIDA, SISTERS AND CHRISTIAN MAIDENS PUT TO DEATH WITH THE
SWORD IN THE CITY OF OSCA, FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, ABOUT A. D.
851

For this contest for the name of Christ, the Lord prepared not only men,
but also women, and young maidens so that in the following year, 851, as
near as can be reckoned, two sisters, one named Nunilo, the other
Aloida, did not hesitate to confess Jesus Christ, their heavenly
Bridegroom, among the Mohammedans, not only with their blood, but also
with their death; which took place on this wise

Their father was a Mohammedan, and their mother a nominal Christian, but
not very pious, since she, according to the testimony of the ancients,
after the death of her husband, married a Saracen (Mohammedan) or
unbeliever. In consequence of this, these pious young women could not
freely observe, and live up to, the confession of their faith, according
to the doctrine of Christ, on account of the constraints placed upon
them by their unbelieving stepfather. Compelled, therefore, to leave
their mother's house, they went to live with their aunt or mother's
sister, who, being a true Christian woman, brought them up farther in
the Christian religion.

The envious enemy of the human race, filled with jealousy because they,
the children of a Saracen father, had become Christians, accused them
through the instrumentality of wicked persons, to the chief officer of
the city of Osca, so that shortly after they were brought before the
judge. The latter, in order to draw them away from the Christian
religion made them great promises of gifts and presents. He moreover
offered to secure their marriage with the most excellent young men,
etc., if they would but embrace Mohammedanism. But, if they remained
stubborn, and despised the advice of the president or judge, he
threatened to torture them with divers torments, and finally to put them
to death with the sword.

Thereupon, these pious maidens being strengthened by the Spirit of God,
firmly and fearlessly answered the judge, saying, "O judge! how is it,
that thou dost command us to turn away from true godliness? since God
has made known to us, that no one in the world is richer than Jesus
Christ, our Saviour; and that nothing is more blessed than the Christian
faith, by which the just live, and the saints have conquered kingdoms.
For, without Christ there is no life, and without His knowledge there is
nothing but eternal death. To dwell with Him, and to live in Him, is our
only and true consolation; but to depart from Him, is eternal perdition.
From His communion we will never be separated as long as we live in this
life; for, having given and entrusted our innocence (or youth) into His
keeping, we hope eventually to become His bride., "For, the profit of
the transient riches of this world, with which thou didst think to
allure us, we count as dung and loss, that we may gain Christ, because
we know that everything under the sun, except Christ and true .faith in
Him, is vanity., "Nor are we moved by the threatened punishment; since
we know, that the torments endure but a short time; yea, for death
itself, which thou hast presented to us as the final terror, we long the
more because we know that thereby we go without delay* to heaven, to
Christ our Bridegroom, there to be embraced by Him inseparably, through
His love."

The judge, perceiving the steadfastness of their faith, and the power of
their confession, deemed it well to commit these young maidens, each
separately to certain Saracen women, to be instructed in the Mohammedan
religion, strictly prohibiting them from conversing with each other, or
with any others of the Christians. The women, who had undertaken to
instruct them in the Saracen or Mohammedan religion, daily presented to
them their idolatry and pernicious doctrine, seeking thus to poison them
with the cup of the wrath of God, from the hand of Mohammed. But all in
vain; they remained steadfast, which was called stubbornness by their
enemies.

Finally they were brought before the tribunal and made a public
spectacle; where they, confessing Christ as before, and declaring
Mohammed an enemy of the Christian faith, as well as rejecting his
doctrine, were executed with the sword, in the city of Osca in Spain, on
the 22d of October, A. D. 851. Though others differ considerably in
their chronology of this matter, we leave it to the decision of the
intelligent reader. Compare the account of A.Mellinus,
second book, fol. 308, col. 1,

*"To go without delay to heaven, to Christ," may fitly be understood as
having reference to the commending of their souls into the hands of
Christ; as is stated of the holy martyr Stephen, namely, that he saw the
heavens opened, and Christ standing on the right hand of God; to whom,
in his extremity, he commended his soul, saying: 'Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit. And when he had said this, he fell asleep" (Acts 7:59,60)
Page 245

2, with the authors from whom the same has been extracted.Eulog.
Memor. Sanctor., lib.2,cap.
7,andInterp.

Touching these two pious martyresses; there is also to be observed what
is said in the added note respecting John, the first-mentioned martyr.

NOTE.-A. D. 852, the zeal of some to die for the name of Jesus Christ
was so great that multitudes of them confessed Christ, and, hastening to
martyrdom, suffered themselves to be put to death as defenseless lambs,
for Christ's sake. It is stated that among these there were two young
heroes of Jesus Christ, namely Emilas and Hieremias, who, from a
well-meaning and special zeal, spoke against -Mohammed, and thus offered
themselves, to suffer for Christ their Saviour. For this they were both
executed with the sword, whereupon (according to the testimony of the
ancients), though the weather had been fine in the forenoon, immediately
at the hour of their death, there followed mighty peals of thunder, so
that the earth quaked; terrible lightnings fell from the air; great
darkness, heavy hailstorms, furious whirlwinds, .and storms manifested
themselves, as though the insensible elements (according to Rulogius)
were mourning the death of these pious martyrs; whose dead bodies were
taken across the river and suspended on stakes, on the 15th of
September, A. D. 852. A.Mell.,
fal. 309,col. 4, fromMemor.
Sanctor., lib. 2, cap.2.
For certain reasons, however, we will not comment on these persons,
though we know of nothing to censure, as regards either their faith or
their life.

AUREA, A GOD-FEARING MAIDEN, AFTER MANY SEVERE TRIALS, EXECUTED WITH THE
SWORD, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT CORDOVA, A. D. 856

Aurea was by descent a noble maiden, and a sister to the martyr John, of
whom we have already spoken, from the province Hispalis or Seville, who
was betrayed and accused by some of her countrymen. The judge, who was a
relative of hers, endeavored by every possible means to draw her away
from Christ, in which he also succeeded. But shortly after, she repented
of her apostasy, and went daily into the congregation of the believers,
that by the hearing of the Word of God she might be strengthened in the
Spirit against a like conflict in time to come.

The enemy of mankind, who could not endure it, that Aurea now adhered
more firmly to God her Creator, than before, instigated another to
accuse this maiden to the judge, who instantly had her brought by his
bailiffs, and threatened her as before. But in the second conflict she
was as much stronger to obtain the martyr's crown, as, in her former
apostasy, she had been too weak to resist the temptation; for she thus
answered the judge, saying, "I have never separated myself from Christ
my God; I have never forsaken the religion of true godliness; I have
never for one moment adhered to your impious worship; though I once,
with my tongue, seemed to have apostatized from Christ, my heart was
nevertheless far from it, and I had a firm confidence in my Lord Jesus
Christ, who has again lifted up my contrite conscience, by His consoling
promises, saying? 'He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live.' Though, with my words, I fell into the snare of denial,
yet my heart was strengthened through the power of faith, for, as soon
as I went away from you, I kept with heart and mind the faith which I
had practiced from infancy. Hence, there is nothing left, but to execute
me with the sword, or else you must give me liberty to freely serve my
Lord Christ."

Thereupon the judge said that she should be kept in prison until he had
informed the king of the matter. The result was, that the following day,
according to the king's command, she was put to death with the sword,
and then, with a murderer, suspended by her heels on the gallows. Her
dead body was sunk with several thieves and murderers in the river
Betis. She died on the 19th of July, A. D. 856, at Cordova, under
Mahumad, king of the Saracens. In this account, A. M., fol.311,must
be reconciled withEul.,
lib. 3, cap. 17.

REMARK.-For further information we would remark that the afore-mentioned
martyress, as regards profession in the matter of external religion, is
to be distinguished from four other persons, Helias, Paulus, Isidore,
and Argimirus, together with others, whom the last-mentioned authors, in
their account, have noticed just before the martyrdom of Aurea; for
they, to all appearance, were of the Roman profession, of which we find
no evidence in Aurea. She professed a good profession of Christ her
Saviour, and died thereupon; on which account she is justly classed
among the true believing martyrs, according to what we stated in the
note respecting the martyr John, for the year 850.

NOTE.-Since we do not find sufficient lizht on the persecutions, with
regard to the names, as well as the confessions of the martyrs. we will
now prepare ourselves to take leave of them, and commit those whom we
have not noticed, as being too dark before our eves, to the omniscient
God, who will bring all to light. Our purpose is, to turn to Italy and
England, where more and brizhter light has arisen, though it had its
bezinninp in France; so that the papal darkness, particularly in the
matter of transubstantiation and the mass, was illuminated by it. Yet,
this shall end as a traeedv, for we shall show that the bright light of
truth had to set in rays of blood and to sink under the earth as it
were, to the sorrow of the true believing Christians.

NoTE.-In our account of holy baptism. for the year 860, we made mention
of Hincmar, bishon of Laudun, and stated that he desired that infants
should be left unbaptized, on account of which he was greatly censured.
But it seems that this was

Page 246

not the last of it, seeing other writers afterwards relate that he was
sentenced and condemned in a certain council in the palace of Dusiacum,
in the province of Rheims; moreover, that he was sent into banishment,
laid in chains, and, two year after, deprived of both his eyes. However,
these writers do not unanimously state that this happened to him solely
on account of his rejecting infant baptism, but relate also, that it was
done through the bitter hatred of the archbishop of Rheims, as well as
from other reasons relating to popery. As to the time of this event, the
papist Caesar Baronius fixes it, A. D. 871, though we, from comparison
with other authors, should fix it five years earlier. Moreover, though
we, as regards the life, and walk of said Hincmar, have found nothing
but what is good, we dare not give him a place among the martyrs,
because of the differing statements of the ancient writers; hence we
commit him to God, who will judge his cause.

JOHANNES ERIGENA, A SCOTCHMAN, PUT TO DEATH BY HIS SCHOLARS FOR THE
CONFESSION OF THE EVANGELICAL TRUTH, , THROUGH THE INSTIGATION OF SOME
MONKS, AT MELDUM IN ENGLAND, ABOUT A. D. 884

Johannes Erigena, a Scotchman, and, hence, called Scotus, flourished, in
the matter of his doctrine, in the time of the Emperor Louis the Pious,
and his son Lothaire, somewhere in one of the cities of France. He was
exceedingly virtuous, learned, and eloquent, and, consequently, for his
eminent gifts, highly celebrated and esteemed. For, when Charles, one of
the sons of the above Emperor, was desirous of having a good translation
and, exposition of the books of Dionysius, the Areopagite, especially of
the treatiseHierarchia,*John
executed the same very laudably, and with marked ability, so that one
Anasasius, who was librarian at the time, and composed a preface to it,
writes of him thus, "It is astonishing how this barbariarl, (that is,
foreigner or Scotchman), who hails from the uttermost parts of the
world, was able to comprehend with his understanding such high things,
and to translate them (said book of Dionysius), into another language,
namely, from the Greek into the Latin; I refer to Johannes the
Scotchman, concerning whom I have heard that he is a very holy and godly
man."

This is the testimony even of one of his adversaries, touching his
learning and godliness; so that it is not necessary for us to adduce
additional testimony relative to this point, from other authors, hence
we let it suffice.

Afterwards, it seems he wrote a book on the Eucharist (that is, on the
thankoffering of the Supper), in which he very profoundly and
conclusively refuted the gross error of the papists in the matter

' This was a treatise on the name of God, and thr heavenly order of the
angels. of transubstantiation, or the essential change of the bread into
the body of Jesus Christ; also, the mass and the sacrifice which
thereby, in popery, is offered for both the living and the dead. This
was the cause of his death, as the sequel shows.

When he had written this book, it was greatly esteemed by some, among
whom, subsequently, was Berengarius, deacon of the church at Angiers, of
whom it is stated that he took and learned his belief respecting this
point (and perhaps also against infant baptism, since he strenuously
dissuaded from it), from .the writings of Johannes Scotus; of which we
propose to speak more fully in the proper place. On the other hand, said
book was exceedingly hated by those who were zealous defenders of the
Roman superstitions, especially of transubstantiation and the mass; so
much so, that when it had come before Pope Leo IX, the result was, that
both (as appears) he and his book were condemned and anathematized as
heretical; which was done chiefly in the council of Vercellis.

When this had thus happened, and he had incurred the hatred of the pope
and many of the papists, he left the city of Paris-where he was rector
of the University-and also, -France, and went to England, where he took
up his residence at Meldum, supporting himself by teaching and
instructing inexperienced youths. But after a few years, when the spite
and hatred of some monks could tolerate him no longer, on account of his
faith against the Roman church, they instigated his scholars against
him, so that they stabbed him to death with awls and penknives.

Other writers are of the opinion that the monks did it themselves. Both
may be true; the monks, having instigated the young men, and probably
finding them too timid, may have led off in the murder, the youths
following, with penknives, awls, etc., so that said martyr lost his life
under their hands. This much is certain, that he died a cruel death for
his faith, and that the monks, through the instumentality of his
scholars, were in no small measure the cause of it, as the records of
his death inform us. Compare the account ofA.
Mellinus, 2d book, fol. 343, col. 2, 3,andfol.
392, col. 4,andfol.
393, eol. 1, 2,taken
fromTrithem. de Script.
Eccles., Item. Hist. Reg. Angl., in Alfredo, lib. 2. Hobed. Annal. parte
Priore. Westmon., in Flor. Hist., A. D. 883. Idem, Hist. parte Prima.
Chron. Car., lib. 4, sub. Henr. 4, Seniore. Lanfranc., lib. de Euch.,
contra Bereng. Baron. Annal. T. 11, A. D. 1059. Mamelsburi Regum Angl.,
lib. 2.Testibus. Lanfranco, Guytmando and Aliis.

CONCERNING THE TIME OF THIS HISTORY

NOTE.-P. J. Twisck gives two different accounts concerning it; in the
first he fixes the date,A.
D. 869. Chron. 9th book, page 306, col. 2,fromHist.
Andr., fol.160. In the
second he fixes it,A. D.
8884. Page 311, col. 2,fromJohn
Munster, fol. 83.In the
first place he calles him Johannes

Page 247

Scotus, in the second, Johannes Erigena; however, as the account itself
declares, it is the same person:

As to the dates 869 and 884, to which the history of said Johannes has
been referred by him, some one might think that this could not very well
be reconciled, which may, however, be easily done, if we take the year
869 as the time in which said martyr flourished and propagated his
doctrine, and the year 884 as the time when he died and was martyred for
the principles which he taught.

FURTHER OBSERVATION TOUCHING THE HISTORY ITSELF, ACCORDING TO THE
ACCOUNT OF CARION, P. MELANCTHON AND C. PEUCER

"In the time of Emperor Louis the Pious," said authors say,"Johannes
Scotus read. and explained publicly in the schools, Dionysius' treatiseHierarchia.This
Johannes Scotus, when he censured and refuted with good.reasons, the
false and impious tenet of the sacrifice of the mass, concerning which
others at that time taught that in the Supper Christ was to be offered
up for the living and the dead, was stabbed to death by his disciples
and hearers, with their penknives."Chron.
Carion., from the beginning of the world until Chirles L'., enlarged by
Phil. Melancthon and Casp. Peucer, printed1586,4th
book, fol. 476, col. 1.

CONCERNING SAID HISTORY, ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNT OF SEBASTIAN FRANCK OF
WORTH

"Johannes, ,surnamed Scotus, not of the.Gray Friars, wrote a treatise on
the sacrament, denying the presence of- the body ,and blood of Christ.
He was condemned in the council of Vercellis. He was rector at Paris;
'eminently versed in the languages, and the phenix of his age: The
Emperor Lothaire held him in great esteem. Of him there have writ ten,
Platiria," etc. SeeChron.
Rom. Kett., fol. 106, eol. 4, letter J.

P. J. TWISCK'S ACCOUNT OF SAID JOHANNES SCOTUS

"Johannes Scotus," he writes,"lived under the Emperor Louis the Pious,
and wrote strenuously against transubstantiation. On a certain occasion,
when he, in an exposition, was severely censuring the delusion of the
blasphemous oblation or offering up of the Lord Christ in the Supper for
the living and the dead, his disciples and hearers killed him with iron
styles."Chron., 9th book,
fol.306,col.
2,fromHist.
Andr., fol. 160.

FURTHER EXPLANATION TOUCHING SAID J. SCOTUS, ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNT OF
THE PAPIST BARONIUS, AS NOTED BY ABR. MELLINUS

"But let us add," says he,"the opinion of , Baronius, touching this
Scotchman: As regards johannes Scotus, we have said above,.in the'
proper place, that he was in bad repute with the Pope Nicholas I.
Although he wrote so violently against the Catholic faith, yet, as he
did not spread it among the people, so that his views became known to
all, many had a good opinion of him, so much so, that they, though most
inconsiderately (thus he speaks, from a papistic standpoint) gave him
the title of martyr." CompareA:
Mell., 2d book,fol. 393,
col. 1, 2, with Ccesar.Baronius'account
touchingJ. Scotus, Annal.
T. 11, A. D.1059.

From this account it appears that the papist Baronius, who was a
cardinal of the Roman see, was not pleased that many had a good opinion
of Johannes -Scotus, and, what is still more, gave him the title of
martyr; but this is not to be wondered at, since the true papists have a
good opinion of none but those who adhere to the Roman superstitions,
and never dare to utter a word of censure against them; and they would
confer the title of martyr upon none but those who have sufered for the
Roman see and its traditions (which are a parcel of human inventions).
However, we will let them answer for this, and leave it.

We return to Johannes Scotus and say that, as regards his boldness, he
showed himself as behooves a true martyr, since, to clear his conscience
and defend the oppressed truth, he did not hesitate to incur the hatred
of the pope and the papists, yea, the prospect of being anathematized,
excommunicated, and, finally, miserably tortured and put .to death for
it. He died for the confession of the Christian and evangelical truth,
particularly for the article by which we commemorate the Lord's death,
and in which lies the consolation of the soul, with regard to our
blessed redemption.

But, since Berengarius, who opposed not only transubstantiation and the
mass, but also infant baptism; was afterwards charged with having
imbibed and obtained his belief from Johannes Scotus, the
afore-mentioned martyr, we may conclude that said martyr must have
opposed infant baptism; otherwise it could not be said in general words,
that Berengarius imbibed or obtained his views from J. .Scotus, which is
nevertheless frequently and confidently asserted by ancient writers.
With this we will take our leave of J. Scotus and also of our account of
the martyrs of this century; as being sufficient for the well-disposedfor
the evil-disposed we care not; hence, our soul shall rest, and content
itself with the pious.